APSCo Embrace: Turbo charge your social value through inclusive hiring

Chance Bleu-Montgomery

Partner Support Manager, Bridge of Hope Careers

Chance was not born lucky. A childhood of physical and mental abuse was followed by the death of his sister to Cancer, and in his twenties, Chance had a mental breakdown which led to reckless behaviour and heavy use of drugs and alcohol. Before he knew it, his life had spiralled out of control, and he woke up one day in a prison cell, alone, with a lengthy term ahead of him.

Prison was more difficult than he could have imagined, but it turned out to be a transformative experience. He used the time to reflect on what got him there and how he could ensure he never went back. In prison, he finally recognised that he needed help – and got some – but he also discovered a capacity to significantly help others. In pursuit of a better life, he realised he could be more than good: he could be determined, resilient and remarkable.

After his release, and with the help of the employment charity, Resume Foundation, Chance started his own health and wellbeing brand, ‘Troothshop’. And, seeing his potential, the team behind Resume also employed him as the Partner Support Manager for Bridge Of Hope, where he now works with the talent portal’s charity partners to bring other marginalised but talented and resilient candidates into the workplace.

James Fellowes

Founder, Bridge of Hope Careers

James was born lucky: an idyllic childhood, the finest education money could buy and over two decades of upward career mobility. By 2008, James was an international executive with the world’s leading drinks company, and with his young family was living the ‘American Dream’. What could possibly go wrong?

Well, pretty much everything.  After a combination of life’s curve balls, torrid unemployment, and undiagnosed bipolar disorder - leading to a spell in a psychiatric ward - James lost (almost) everything.

White, male and privileged, for the first time James experienced barriers to employment.

In 2018 Fellowes founded Bridge of Hope Careers the missing link between ‘untapped talent’ pools and inclusive employers seeking to diversify their talent pool.

In the first 18 months since launching the Bridge of Hope Careers inclusive talent portal, over 79,000 candidates have registered across the UK. These highly resilient candidates - many with ‘lived experience’ - are introduced and supported by over 130 charities - including The Prince’s Trust, Walking with the Wounded, Mencap, St Mungo’s and Centrepoint, and two dozen ‘Non-Russell Group’ universities.

A growing roster of 42 progressive employers are diversifying their own talent pools including Royal Mail, AB Foods, The Body Shop, Timpson, Santander, Cognizant, Direct Line, TalkTalk, and Royal Navy.